IoT provided a way to connect the physical world to the digital realm.
Sensors can collect information from equipment, vehicles, assets, and industrial environments. Plus, connected technologies can relay details regarding movements, location, and condition, among other valuable data.
But the big question is:
What good is any of it once the data has been gathered?
That's where AI + IoT, or AIoT comes in.
From Data Gathering to Intelligence
IoT is largely about connecting the physical world and being able to collect information from it. What AI brings to the table is additional analysis of the data to find patterns, detect outliers, and provide insight that can be used to understand more complex operational situations.
In essence, we can think of it as:
Connecting → Collecting → Analyzing → Understanding → Taking Action
The point is, we are not just trying to create more and better connected devices, but to leverage the information they collect to be able to get more value from them.
Why it Matters in Industrial Environments
Industrial environments can be incredibly complex.
Factories, warehouses, worksites, logistics and transportation, power plants, and industrial construction worksites may house massive amounts of assets and processes that are all in play at any given moment. And all of them can contribute valuable information to the mix. The challenge is being able to analyze and synthesize this information into something people can actually use.
AIoT can provide an avenue to connect and collect information from physical systems and analyze it using AI to be able to support a variety of applications, including but not limited to:
• Asset visibility
• Equipment monitoring
• Inventory management
• Traceability
• Operational analytics
• Access control
• Workforce related systems
• Industrial process monitoring
The applications are only limited by the problems companies want to solve and the environments they operate in.
Focus on the Problem, Not On the Tech
One of the mistakes companies tend to make with innovative technology is to focus on the wrong question. Instead of asking themselves "What can we use this technology for?", the question should be "What problems do we need to solve?". In the case of AIoT, it could be as simple as:
• Where do you lack visibility?
• What information can not be easily gathered?
• What do you need to know or understand but can't see clearly?
• Are there systems or data that should be connected but aren't?
• Can you collect the data needed to support processes?
• Once you have new information, how would it fit into existing systems, processes, and operations?
These are the types of questions that should be asked once companies are looking to use AIoT to solve real world problems.
AIoT Doesn't Negate the Fundamentals
AIoT will always revolve around the fundamentals. Sensors and systems must be in place to ensure that the right information is being gathered, analyzed, and applied. Cybersecurity also has to be taken into account, especially with more and more physical systems being exposed to the digital realm.
In essence, AI is only part of what makes AIoT valuable. A combination of physical and digital infrastructure, including sensors, the right connectivity, access to data, and appropriate AI applications must be brought to bear in order to turn the information the physical world provides into something more valuable.
Essentially, the right mix of:
Physical Infrastructure + Sensors + Connectivity + Information + AI + Processes
can enable new ways to get value out of information regarding the physical world.
From Visibility to Greater Understanding
Perhaps the most interesting part of AIoT is that it enables a leap from visibility to intelligence. IoT can help answer the question "what is happening?" while AI can help grapple with "what does it all mean?". And with a proper focus on processes, the next logical question is "what should we do about it?".
The applications will define the use cases, and it's important to understand that while AI can help, it's not magic. The technology must be combined with the physical world and integrated with operational processes in order to yield interesting results. Companies looking to take AI and IoT to solve real world issues can look to the work of Aperture Venture Studio for inspiration.
The Bigger Opportunity With AIoT
At the end of the day, AIoT is about more than just installing more connected devices. It's about getting value out of them by connecting them to greater digital systems that can make the information they generate more useful.
Especially now, as more and more industries and environments generate reams of data from connected equipment, assets, vehicles, and more, the ability to turn them into actionable intelligence is paramount. As such, companies should always see the value in analyzing information they already gather and take advantage of the ability to get more value out of it.
After all, the progression always follows a pattern:
Visibility → Intelligence → Action
And that, in the end, is what AIoT is all about.
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